Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe said he'll pardon his son, who was charged with possession of marijuana with intent to deliver in 2003.
Kyle Beebe, now 34, was "placed on probation which he successfully completed in 2006 and the court sealed his record," according to the parole board. He also had to pay fines.
Kyle Beebe wrote a letter to his father asking for the pardon. KATV quoted from the application:
Mr. Governor, I am asking for a second chance at life. I am asking for a second chance to be the man that I know that I can be."
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"At the time of my arrest I was living in a fantasy world, not reality. I was young and dumb. At that time in my life I felt like I was missing something and I tried to fill that emptiness by selling drugs," Kyle Beebe wrote.
Gov. Beebe told the news station he will grant the pardon.
"I would have done it a long time ago if he'd have asked, but he took his sweet time about asking. He was embarrassed. He's still embarrassed, and frankly, I was embarrassed and his mother was embarrassed. All of the families that go through that, it's tough on the families, but hopefully the kids learn," Beebe said, noting he has pardoned about 700 non-violent offenders.
The parole board said Kyle Beebe didn't get any special treatment.